Lecture #3 Principles of health ethics Ethics in Health Care Lecture #3 Principles of health ethics L. Areej Jouhar Suliman ajabdelgader@inaya.edu.sa prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Course content Principals of health ethics Orientation and introduction Plagiarism Importance of Ethics and patients rights Principals of health ethics Health professionals ethics and regulations Duties toward patients Duties toward community Duties toward oneself and religious ruling Duties toward the profession Ethics in learning and teaching Ethics in documentation prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Outline Basic principles of health ethics. Manners of HCPs. How to decide what is ethical. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Devotion and Feeling the Worship of Allah “وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالأِنْسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ” What we do as health professionals is a kind of worship to Allah (SWT). Devote you’re work to the sake of Allah. Perceive the presence of Allah in all activities. Understand that you will be judged for every small and big act. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Demonstration of the Best of Manners Truthfulness. Honesty and Integrity. Humbleness and Respect for Others. Patience and Forbearance. Passion and Love. Moderation and Fairness. Self accountability. Avoidance of Trivialities and Pettiness. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Truthfulness Truthfulness is not only about telling the truth, it is also about truth of the intention, truth in the deed and performance as well. healthcare practitioner, whom people seek during pain and sickness with complete trust should not be found otherwise [a liar]. If found to be a liar, his/her knowledge and skills will not help him/her restore the lost trust. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Honesty and Integrity Healthcare practitioner is entrusted with human souls and bodies, thus, he/she should reflect upon it appropriately. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Humbleness and Respect for Others Healthcare practitioner should be humble and never display arrogance towards his/her patients or demean them, whatever be their position. He/she has to respect all those he/she deals with, including the patients and/or their family members. This makes him/her in a more respectful status. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Patience and Forbearance The medical profession is a challenging and hard career. Healthcare practitioners deal with different types people in the community which requires a high level of patience, forbearance and tolerance. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

How should HCPs deal with difficult patients? HCPs should tolerate the behaviour of their patients and excuse the annoyance considering patients’ pain and illness. HCPs should not confront the patients’ irritability with anger or retaliation by stopping to treat a patient who has used inappropriate language, or by failure in fulfilling the patient’s right to full care. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Passion and Love HCPs should be: loving, passionate and lenient towards patients refrain from insulting them by saying what could make them weak or lose hope. considers the psychological state of patient. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Moderation and Fairness A healthcare practitioner should be fair and unbiased in treating his/her patients. This is because they submit their affairs to the healthcare practitioner, based on their trust in him/her and their need for his/her advice as well as service. It is not permissible for a healthcare practitioner to abuse this, whether it is the right to appropriate medical care or in terms of financial costs that overburden the patient, patient’s guardian or employer. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Self-accountability Healthcare practitioners have to judge themselves before being judged by others, or having their mistakes widely publicized. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Avoidance of Trivialities and Pettiness It is not appropriate for a healthcare practitioner to indulge in affairs that are religiously forbidden or socially unacceptable such as: Backbiting Tale-bearing Talking too much Arguing Saying socially unacceptable words - especially while performing duties. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Avoidance of Trivialities and Pettiness It is also preferable for a healthcare practitioner to refrain from the demeaning behaviours which may not be religiously prohibited, such as: Chewing gum while working. Untidy appearance. Wearing strange and socially unacceptable clothes. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

How individuals make ethical decisions? Non-rational approaches: Not necessary irrational but does not use reasoning. Rational approaches: A systematic, reflective use of reason in decision- making. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Non-rational approaches Obedience: Is following the rules or instructions of those in authority, whether or not you agree with them. Imitation: Is following the example of a role model. Feeling and desire: Is a subjective approach to moral decision making and behaviour. What is right is what feels right or satisfies one’s desire; what is wrong is what feels wrong or frustrates one’s desire. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Non-rational approaches Intuition: is an immediate perception of the right way to act in a situation. Habit: is a very efficient method of moral decision-making since there is no need to repeat a systematic decision-making process each time a moral issue appears similar to one that has been dealt with previously. However situations that appear similar may require significantly different decisions. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Rational approaches Deontology. Consequentialism. Principlism. Virtue ethics. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

“People are all equal like the teeth of a comb” Deontology involves a search for well-founded rules that can serve as the basis for making moral decisions. For example: “People are all equal like the teeth of a comb” Prophet Mohamed PBUH prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Consequentialism Bases ethical decision-making on an analysis of the likely consequences or outcomes of different choices and actions. The right action is the one that produces the best outcomes. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Uses ethical principles as the basis for making moral decisions. Principlism Uses ethical principles as the basis for making moral decisions. It applies these principles to particular cases or situations in order to determine what is the right thing to do, taking into account both rules and consequences. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Virtue ethics Focuses less on decision-making and more on the character of decision-makers as reflected in their behaviour. A virtue is a type of moral excellence. Accordingly HCPs who possess these virtues are more likely to make good decisions and to implement them in a good way. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

The best way to make ethical decisions Each approach has both strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps a combination of all four approaches that includes the best features of each is the best way to make ethical decisions rationally. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Process of making ethical decision Determine whether the issue at hand is an ethical one. Consult authoritative sources such codes of ethics, policies and respected colleagues to see how HCPs generally deal with such issues. Consider alternative solutions in light of the principles and values they support and their likely consequences. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Process of making ethical decision Discuss your proposed solution with those whom it will affect. Make your decision and act on it, with sensitivity to others affected. Evaluate your decision and be prepared to act differently in future. prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Any questions ETH 101 Ethics in Health Care prepared by: Dr. Fatmah Almoayad